In a post-modern modern world, the political system of choice for developed nations is democracy – but has democracy in action evolved into a something altogether un-democratic?

Which majority?

Sitting still for a moment, what concepts fall into mind when considering “democracy”?

For most of us, it’s the idea of government by the majority. But that would be a mistake because it is rare that a democratically elected government holds the votes of the majority of a population. It may be true that they hold the majority of votes but NOT that they have the majority of the population behind them. Consider the case of the upcoming Greek elections…

If we look some recent polling then we can gain a better picture of this issue of “democracy” and “majority”. Here’s a graphic from Spiegel Online

Is the majority party liked by the majority?

If we do our own maths, we can look at these figures slightly differently. Firstly, in true Anarchist style, we should acknowledge those who are not given a voice in this poll…

Giving the democratically dispossessed a voice

Greece, like Italy, is currently a country “in administration”. That is, it is being governed by administrators appointed by its creditors. However, creditors being the benign forms of dictator that their PR people like to present their clients as being, can sometimes be obliging enough as to allow the Great Unwashed Debtors a chance at saying who they would most like to be dominated by. These are colloquially known as “democratic elections”.

There currently is one of those democratic elections underway in Greece right now, and the idea is that various local parties are going to campaign so that their particular representatives can lead the country by stamping their particular party’s ideological footprint over the faces of the incredibly grateful populace.

So let’s look at what happens when there is a “grand coalition” of the two least disliked parties, who unite to form a caring and sharing government…

If this were a Pacman game, you know who gets to eat who...

Tyranny of the Masses

Wait a moment… isn’t “tyranny of the majority” supposed to relate to the ability of the larger group to impose its every will on the under-priveliged and under-represented minority?

Yet here we have a position whereby any one party who wins will have at most, only a quarter of the population as their adoring voters. Let’s leave the theorising and counter-theorising to the academics, and simply look at the circumstances under which this particular election is operating – in other words, let’s look at the election in the context of the people who are holding themselves up as being electing-worthy…

Heroes or Rogues? Are these people the best Greece has to offer?

So, let’s say these esteemed Gentlemen put aside their individual lust for power, and combine in a heroic mandate to restore the Glory of Greece, and implement the will of the people… What then? Well, it don’t look too good, folks. These are the same hoary fools who managed to put the Greek economy and political future on the see-saw of Fate in the first place. Read the full Spiegel article for an insight into just how ridiculous the Greek political alternatives are for the long-suffering average Greek voter. Those with a weak stomach may want to take an antacid tablet or two before submitting themselves to the gut-wrench.

Bring back Ostracism

As the acknowledged home of democracy, why don’t the Greeks reinstitute an old relic of democratic days gone by – Ostracism.

Bring back ostracism into democratic elections!

How about giving voters a choice of people or parties they’d like to see expelled from the political arena for a decade or so?

Anarchy for Greece?

Can a more to Anarchic government be any worse for Greece than the gaping chasm waiting beyond its current democratic election precipice?